


A Dysfunctional Twink & A Dysfunctional Player

by taiyoukei



Series: The Underground Dance Scene [1]
Category: EXO (Band), K-pop, Monsta X (Band), NCT (Band), Red Velvet (K-pop Band), Topp Dogg (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Fluff, M/M, a bit of angst?, dancer au that no one asked for, i really don't know what to call this, more characters will be added later, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-11-23 13:43:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11403606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taiyoukei/pseuds/taiyoukei
Summary: Taeyong and his friends are twinks. His best friend and partner in crime is Yeri, who is a known player in the area. They’re members of their own underground dance crew which they devote their lives too. However, has love started to become just as essential to their lives as dancing? They struggle to figure out if they’re ready to put down more roots or continue their casual, no strings attached lifestyles.





	1. Cherry Bomb

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oreoni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oreoni/gifts).



> this is a gift for my dear friend <3  
> special shoutout to kit and dante for encouraging me to write this

Lee Taeyong was in a pissed off mood. Today just was not his day. The pink haired boy was at his little underground dance studio with his best friend, the troublemaker of a player Kim Yerim, who was more commonly known as Yeri, as well as the fellow gay twink, Shin Hoseok, with the stage name of Wonho. 

The three were a trio, even though Hoseok knew that Taeyong and Yeri were closer than he was with them, he didn’t mind. The lilac haired teen had the ever-so-punk Seo Youngho, or, as he preferred, Johnny, and Johnny’s “best friend,” a guy by the name of Oh Sehun. An old friend turned dancer and rapper by the name of Lee Jooheon had become a part of their team, plus his boyfriend, Lee Minhyuk. There was also Hoseok’s boyfriend, another pink haired twink named Kihyun, after all. Kim Hansol was the last member of their current lineup, since he had recently become a part of their team.

The reason for Taeyong’s sudden anger was because a guy who had always caught his attention, Nakamoto Yuta, had asked to join their dance crew after their mutual class this morning, but the boy froze up rather than accepting the offer. He looked like a fucking idiot. Even worse, Yeri had to cover for him and accept the offer, making Yuta a little baffled himself. Taeyong was not one who commonly froze. He was a dancer for Christ’s sake, meaning he was used to crowds. He was not used to Nakamoto Yuta.

Yeri sensed her best friend’s anger, which was made even more apparent when he kicked a while and screamed, “God damn it!” 

“Taeyong! Calm down. It’s not worth using all your anger on that. At least try to use it on a more productive outlet; what about practicing your new piece with Johnny and the others?” The red haired girl did not want to have to deal with this, a sigh exited from in between her lips without her permission. 

“Okay, okay! Fine! I’ll do that.” He knew that Yeri was right. 

“Come on man. Let’s just go through the parts of the choreo which we have so far again.” Johnny, who had been sitting off to the side with Sehun and Jooheon, got up to walk over to where the tantrum had taken place.

The two had been working on something they called Cherry Bomb. They were forming a subunit within the crew, which they liked to call NCT 127. There was intended to be more members for the choreography, but the unit was not a whole yet so they would have to wait more to see the outcome. For some reason, Johnny had the feeling that Yuta would be added to NCT 127 in due time. He’d actually placed a bet on it with Yeri, but Taeyong didn’t need to know that.

They moved to the center of the room, followed by the other men who were in the crew. Their dance studio was really just a hole in the ground abandoned basement they had stumbled upon. It was full of graffiti, but it actually had some of the floor-to-ceiling mirrors that they needed and decent industrial-style lighting among the exposed pipes crowding the ceiling. It wasn’t the cleanest nor the prettiest, yet it was the place that all of them called home. They had eventually bought out the apartment above it over the course of a year. 

Despite not being members of the unit, Hansol, Sehun, Kihyun, Jooheon, Minhyuk and Hoseok had taken it upon themselves to learn the choreography to fill in for their lack of members. There was still an empty spot though. None of them blamed Yeri for not helping out – she had been working on coming up with the choreography for her new project; something she calls Russian Roulette. They allowed the girl to work in peace. The group was hoping more girls would join the crew, and the guys secretly hoped they could help the red haired troublemaker find a girlfriend since she was the lone wolf in a dance crew of otherwise only gay guys. 

_빨리빨리 피해 right._  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum.  
I’m the biggest hit;  
I’m the biggest hit on this stage. 

The music they had prepared started playing and the men began to dance. The dance was just as powerful and attention grabbing as the lyrics they had written and the beat Jooheon helped them to produce. It made an impact. 

The dance began with Taeyong in the center. He pointed at where the audience would be then crouched down a bit and began to move. He waved his arms through the air with a deadly stare. Despite his pastel pink hair, the man was intimidating with his dark clothing and eyes. He liked it. He liked the attention and he liked how boys were drawn to him because of it. 

They all crouched down in unison, arms like the point of a triangle. Grabbing their chests, they alternated the overlapping of their arms. They did this for a few moments, then the pink haired NCT member sliced his right arm through the air in front of him and moved over so that the formation could change, as it did throughout the song. The boys kept up their dancing. 

_나를 삼켜봐 그리곤 느낀._  
Stomach 꽤 오래 절여진.  
Cherry Bomb.  
언제 언제 터질지 몰라  
Popping your head like 킹스맨 Chip.  
No fireman, 이건 fireworks;  
Cherries in the sky high. 

This was Taeyong’s part. He made it clear that it was his. His presence was undeniable. There was a reason why he was one of the head dancers in the crew; his experience allowed him to stand out. He had made his way back to the center of the formation. His timing and facial expressions were hard to beat. His passion for dancing was obvious with every movement. 

He made his way back to the center, making sure to do it carefully as they still had to lower Jooheon back onto the ground since he was lifted up in the preceding part of the choreography. His arms were waved around his head and he leaned over a bit at certain, well-planned intervals. One arm was up while the opposite was down, alternating swiftly. Then he stopped. 

Taeyong stood a bit turned to the side with his one leg turned out and the other towards the non-existent audience, placing his right hand on his hip. Taeyong followed this by stomping his feet with his hands clasped together in front of him, almost in a bowl-like shape. Everyone then squatted, staying more or less still while the center did his movements. 

He eventually stood once more while the others were still bent over, circling his right arm next to his head while mouthing the lyrics. He threw his left arm into the air, mouthing words the entire time as he danced with his eyes telling his emotions. Then he moved over so that the next formation change could happen and everyone continued to dance smoothly. 

_If you are happy and you know it,_  
Clap your hands, yo, (in this beat).  
If you are happy and you know it,  
Clap your hands (in this beat). 

This was Johnny’s turn. His first moment to shine, even if his dark hair and eyes kept him from doing so most of the time. They weren’t entirely certain if he would keep this part of the dance; that was still up for debate, but he gave it his all nonetheless. The choreography was far from final.

He danced off to the side from the others and did different motions from the rest; making him stand out even more. Sending his arms through the air from side to side slowly at the same height as his head. He then bent over and sent his arms over with a swoosh towards the group to bring the attention back on them. Following this, Johnny rejoined them as a collective whole that did the mostly the same motions. 

_빨리빨리 피해 right._  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum.  
빨리빨리 피해 right.  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum.  
빨리빨리 피해 right.  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum.  
빨리빨리 피해 right.  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum. 

Taeyong was in the center again, but this time the center was different – it was more like he was in the middle of a group, with the other boys crowding around him. They mostly did the same movements as they all moved to the side; their arm movements being the main varying factor. Jooheon and Minhyuk each threw one of their arms down to make a point facing downward together in front of Taeyong, while the same thing was done behind him, but the point facing upward over and behind his head. 

They all alternated their arm movements, striking their different poses. Taeyong would have one arm folded to the side with his head folded down towards it and other arm in the air as though he were a Greek statue of a god, then he would have both arms level with each other and his head as he looked forward. Following this, he broke free from the group and came forward for a moment, then did a half spin so he was facing the side, allowing Johnny to come spinning forward, taking the center. 

_I’m the biggest hit  
I’m the biggest hit _

Johnny’s spin was well-executed and full of charisma. He then took a few steps backwards and did body roll of sorts. Squatting next, he did another body roll and threw his left arm into the air. The body rolls continued and he went back to the main choreography as the next verse rolled around. 

_모두 다 쉿_  
터지기 직전의 스릴  
It tastes like a cherry bomb.  
쉽게 보다가는 큰일 나  
이미 넌 빠져들어 가  
팽창하는 지금 폭발 직전인 기분  
죽이네 do do that  
노랠 불러야지 na na na  
꽂힌 안전핀들 다 뽑아냈지  
다 깜짝 놀라겠지 모두가.  
We gonna make it. 

The last part of this verse was another one of the pink haired NCT member’s parts. Four of them were squatting and dancing in a diagonal line in front of him while others were in the back. Taeyong then walked through the diagonal opening that was left from the far back right corner to the front left corner area of the space in which they were dancing. He was moving his arms around his head and eventually found his place in the front. There, Taeyong started doing the main bouncing movement with everyone else.

_If you are happy and you know it,_  
Clap your hands, yo, (in this beat).  
If you are happy and you know it,  
Clap your hands (in this beat). 

After Taeyong had walked backwards to become part of the group again, it was Johnny’s turn to become the center for another moment. He walked forward and threw his hands up into the air together, it was like he was showing that he was happy, even if the intense look on his face didn’t necessarily agree with this. That was okay, though; this surprisingly worked. After this, he went back to join the main formation. 

_Uh Hard rock Scalp_  
Head shot Pop  
No talk 어딜가나 숙이는 삶  
주변 탐색하는 자들께 박수  
Ay 너네 덕에 분명히 정신을 차렸네  
쫓기는 거 싫어서 이젠 앞에서 말해  
허리는 너 앞에서 안 굽힐게  
Keep watching 맨날 보기를 바래  
Hater hater talk talk  
뭘 먹어도 너네껀 소화 잘돼  
Take a fist or stone or a gunshot  
독해져버린 NINE 받아봐 cherry bomb 

Jooheon was filling in for this part so he was in the center, but behind him, Johnny and Taeyong were spread so they formed an equilateral triangle shape, with Jooheon being the point that stuck forward to the audience. The NCT pair had gotten off of where they were lying on the floor with the others so that they could be mirrors of each other and the boy in front of them – this provided great emphasis and made it a more visually interesting show for any wandering eyes. Moving, sidestepping, side to side with the beat, shaking their heads and allowing their arms to follow the flow of their bodies until they eventually all became unified once more. 

_Yeah._  
If you are happy and you know it,  
Clap your hands, yo, (in this beat).  
If you are happy and you know it,  
Clap your hands.  
If you are happy and you know it,  
Clap your hands. 

Johnny was the center again. He came forward, it was more of a slide while bouncing than a step, and he let his right arm roll in a circle to his side. He stayed there for a moment with his arms at his sides, legs still bouncing. Then lifted his hands to his chest and kept them close together. He retreated back into the crowd as a swift transition.

_빨리빨리 피해 right._  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum.  
빨리빨리 피해 right.  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum.  
빨리빨리 피해 right.  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum.  
빨리빨리 피해 right.  
Cherry bomb, feel it yum. 

Taeyong became the center again. The group of boys was in a V-formation and he was the point of it, facing forward with the others behind to his sides, stretching outward. He was crouching down, doing the one motion from the beginning of the dance where their hands were joined together, also like a V, pointed at the ground. Then they moved their arms upward and put their hands and arms crossed on their chests – alternating which arm was before the other. 

_Nanana nanana_  
I’m the biggest hit  
I’m the biggest hit on this stage  
Nanana nanana  
I’m the biggest hit  
I’m the biggest hit on this stage 

This was when the choreography changed from before. His arms at his sides, Taeyong threw them up and above his head, dropping to the floor. He was on his back, with his knees up as though he could do a sit up. Then he kicked his legs forward and brought his torso up, throwing his arms up and pumping them. He still had the powerful glare on his face from right when the dance started, though his pink hair was long enough that it partially covered his eyes. 

He crossed his arms in front of him to form an X then threw them outwards. The young man kicked his right leg up towards the sky, or, in this case, the ceiling, lifting his left arm up in unison. His head was lifted up so that it too could face the ceiling. Within a few seconds, he brought his limbs down so that he was in the upright sitting position again. He rolled his arms around each other in front of his torso. His hair was now out of the way and you could see his dark, intriguing eyes as he mouthed the words with intense passion showing throughout his movements. 

Taeyong then kicked his right leg over to his left side, shifting his body so that it was now more towards that direction, using his arms as support. He began to breakdance, throwing his legs around in a 360-degree spin until they were firmly planted on the floor once more. He got up with the others and reached his arm forward, grabbing the air in front of him as though his life depended on it. 

_Nanana nanana_  
어서 빨리 피해 right Cherry Bomb  
Nanana nanana  
어서 빨리 피해 right Cherry Bomb 

Then he brought his arm down and all the boys got into a single-file line behind him. Their arms were at their sides and they leaned backward ever so slightly. He straddled his legs outward and walked in place, then the other boys did the same, but they walked outward so that they formed a V formation again. They all continued to move their legs like this. 

Taeyong did his arm movements – his right arm was grasping towards his mouth while his left arm was up, horizontal across his face, practically covering his eyes. He brought his arms down to his sides once more but continued to bob his shoulders up and down. He and the others brought their feet back together, bending over to put his right palm on the ground. 

Then got back up swiftly and threw his arms up into the air and kicking his right leg, walking over to the side on the syllable of the word “bomb.” On that word, he also threw the fist in his hands open for extra effect. He had moved he hand over so that you could see his mouth; so that you could see him mouth the word with his mouth hanging wide open at the end of it. Taeyong loved the reaction boys gave him when he did this, though not many had seen this yet. 

_I’m the biggest hit;  
I’m the biggest hit on this stage. _

With that, the song was over. The choreography for the song involved a lot of jumping and dramatic poses being struck, but they liked the way it looked, even if it was tiring to perform. Everyone agreed that Johnny and Taeyong had done a great job with it. They all loved dancing and they were glad that the two were experimenting with new ideas and forming a new subunit. 

NCT 127 wasn’t the only sub unit there. Monsta X consisted of Hoseok, Jooheon, Minhyuk and Kihyun, though there were still looking for some more members. They hoped to find new additions soon. Yeri was hoping to start a unit with only girls, something called Red Velvet, so that she could try other sorts of choreography than they usually did. Hansol also wanted to form a Toppdogg unit, while Sehun wanted to form one called EXO. 

“Good job, guys! That was even better than last time.” Yeri, who had apparently stopped what she was doing to watch them, praised from where she had been working in the corner, “Taeyong, are you feeling better?” 

The others didn’t have a chance to respond to this because a man emerged from the shadows, also known as the doorway. This man happened to be none other than Yuta. When they saw him, no one really knew what to think. People didn’t use drop by to watch them practice. 

Taeyong was uncomfortable. He knew that Yuta must have seen every minute of that, meaning he heard the song they had put together and saw the moments where he had been the center of the group. He felt oddly vulnerable. This was new for him. 

They say there’s a first time for everything, but he didn’t like that. He didn’t want this. He just wanted to dance in peace. Taeyong wasn’t used to boys actually messing with his heart and leaving him vulnerable. It was frightening. Why was this boy having an effect on him? He’d have to complain to Yeri later. If she didn’t know then he might consider asking Hoseok or Hansol, though he could only hope they wouldn’t tease him.

“Sorry for intruding.”

That was a start. It was also enough to violently rip the pink haired kid from his thoughts so that he could glance around at what was happening. It turns out, most of the crew members were looking at him. His face flushed. He silently pleaded with all of them to respond for him. He did not want to be the one to do so. 

Minhyuk, who had retreated to jumping on his boyfriend’s back, decided to be merciful and answer, “That’s no problem at all. You want to join us, right?” 

The newcomer nodded. Yuta didn’t know how this would work. Would he have to formally audition? He wasn’t ready for that. 

Taeyong’s voice finally decided to return to him, “How about this: you can join my subunit, something I like to call Neo Culture Technology, or NCT 127 for short, and you can try to do the rigorous training associated with that commitment. If you can handle it or not will decide your fate here.” 

Now everyone was really looking at him. The members of the crew were good at masking their thoughts with blank faces and half-hooded, sleepy eyes. However, most of them showed genuine expressions of curiosity and wide eyes right now. Oh. This would be interesting; indeed, it would be. He had really done it now. There would be some explaining to do. 

The hopeful Japanese teen nodded in response to his proposal, causing Yeri to smirk and open her big mouth, “You know, Yuta, we live in the apartment above this studio. We should go hang out for a bit. Some crew bonding time seems appropriate, if I do say so myself.” 

At that very moment Taeyong decided he would have to terminate his friendship with the red haired girl. She was playing a dirty game and he did not like this. If the others joined in on her fun, then he would have to terminate their friendships too. Who said crews have to be made of friends? 

It occurred to him that two could play at this game. He recalled Yeri eyeing up their classmate; a dancer, possibly someone he could recruit. Joy. Park Sooyoung. He might actually enjoy this…  
“How about some video games and pizza from the place down the block?” Kihyun was always quick to suggest pizza, no matter how frequently they may eat it. 

“Depends on the console.” Yuta admitted; at least he was honest, Taeyong found himself observing, then silent cursed himself for doing so. 

“Game Cube. Super Smash and Mario Kart.” 

“Count me in.” 

That was how the bunch of them ended up now seated around the television in their apartment; some of them thrown across the floor, some sitting on the couch or in a stray chair. The one thing they all had in common was that they were drinking water or Gatorade. They had to stay hydrated, especially after practice. 

Kihyun was plugging in the Game Cube and its controllers. Those who were currently playing would have to huddle around it so that the cord could reach them. No one cared. They had ordered pizzas and were waiting for the delivery to arrive, leaving room on the coffee table in front of the couch for them. 

The couch was small; it was really more of a glorified, slightly oversized loveseat. Of course, Taeyong’s luck meant that he ended up sitting on it. Right on the end with Yuta in the middle, and Yeri on the other side of him. He loved his best friend to death but she would certainly not turn down an opportunity to try to embarrass him, or an opportunity to try to hook him up with a boyfriend. He groaned. This could be a long Friday night. To be completely honest, he would probably need alcohol to survive this in one piece with some of his sanity remaining intact. 

Since it was a safe opportunity to look, Taeyong took in this moment to analyze Yuta’s features. His glowing, smooth skin. His warm, deep brown eyes. He noticed that the other’s jawline was very sharp, but it looked good on him and fit his face. His smile was charming; it was very pretty, it made him want to see it more. Overall, his face was rather angular and bold, Taeyong found it to be very beautiful. He thought Yuta was very handsome. 

When he was about to turn his head away, Yuta noticed him looking. It was now decided. Taeyong definitely was not going to survive tonight without alcohol. Preferably peach vodka, but he didn’t know if there was any left since that was also Hoseok’s drink of choice. He couldn’t just leave after he had been caught staring though. 

“Hey.” Now Taeyong sounded like a dumbass. 

“Are you alright? You seem a little out of it.” Yuta was actually concerned for his wellbeing, that was new. 

“Oh, yes. Totally fine. Nothing off at all. I’m not out of it; that would be absurd.” He laughed hesitantly after he spoke and Yuta gave him a worried look while he rose an eyebrow. 

Yuta leaned closer to him, “You sure about that?” 

“No- yes. I meant yes.” This was going great, which is exactly why Kihyun had stopped what he was doing and shot him a sideways glance. Yeri was glaring at him too. Taeyong wasn’t exactly a discreet person at this moment. 

The Japanese boy with wavy hair laughed. A pleasant sound. It was soft; soft enough that the others couldn’t really hear it. Ugh. This kid was going to kill him for no god damn reason. He couldn’t believe it. Someone, please save him. 

Hoseok must have gotten the message because he parted from his boyfriend’s lap and went over to them, “I’m going to get the alcohol from the kitchen, want any?” 

“I do. My usual, please.” Yeri entered the conversation with her signature bright smile and cheerful voice. She was definitely scheming something. 

“Did you drink all the peach vodka?” It was a fairly innocent question.

“Taeyong,” the lilac haired boy began, “do you really think I have that much of a death wish? I know you would’ve killed me if I did.” 

He grinned, “I’ll have whatever’s left then.” 

Shin Hoseok and peach vodka really were his guardian angels. His saving graces. Maybe he wouldn’t die today. That would be great. He had a dance to finish choreographing. That’s certainly better than leaving his friends to plan a funeral. 

“What about you, Yuta?” 

Taeyong rescinded his previous thought. Only peach vodka was his savior now. Shin Hoseok’s friendship with him had come to an end. He couldn’t believe this betrayal, especially coming from someone he trusted so much. He could believe this coming from Yeri, who, at the end of the day, always knew what was best for him, but not Hoseok. He was different. It was time to die.

“Um, I’ll have some of what Taeyong is having. If that’s alright.” 

Yeri answered for him with a charming smile, resulting in a glare from the male in question, “Of course that’s alright. I wouldn’t want my best buddy drinking vodka alone. It’s always more entertaining to drink with company.” 

“That’s great. Hoseok, I’ll help you get the drinks.” With that, Yuta followed the lilac hair into the kitchen to assist with the task at hand, leaving Yeri and Taeyong alone on the couch. 

“I’m going to kill you, Kim Yerim.” 

“What? I didn’t do anything at all. I’m an angel. A pure child of God.” She beamed a flashy teeth smile at him and winked.

“You- you don’t even believe in God! I swear I’m going to explode.” 

“Stop being a drama king, I think you could handle this.”

“If anyone is a king it’s not me – it’s clearly Yuta.” Taeyong instantly regretted saying this.

Yeri’s eyes lit up with a newfound sense of understanding. Taeyong was in deeper than he expected, and he was clearly more frustrated by this than he was letting on. This would be very interesting. She didn’t know how this would turn out. It most would depend on if Yuta survived Johnny and Taeyong’s intense training. There was no telling if he would or not.

The two were talking at a low enough volume that the other members in the group were not able to hear them, thankfully. Taeyong was full of gratitude regarding this. It was not something he necessarily wanted others to approach him about – after all, he was the neighborhood twink. He didn’t just casually develop feelings for people. That was just stupid and not like him. He was married to the choreography; he wasn’t the type to care about too much else. He loves his friends. He loves his work. Not much else. 

The two best friends sat in silence for a moment. Yeri didn’t dare say anything after his little outburst, so he could only assume that she was scheming something. There was nothing that he could do to stop her. He could only assume the worst. 

Hoseok and Yuta returned from the kitchen, this was after what Taeyong assumed to be approximately five minutes. They were equipped with numerous bottles of alcohol and began to distribute them to those whom they were for, setting the rest of them that they had assumed they would need on the table for good measure. Taeyong couldn’t blame them for assuming the group would need more alcohol. They did tend to drink a lot, though he wasn’t sure about the newcomer’s drinking habits. He assumed he would find out soon enough.

They began to drink and the atmosphere of their environment immediately became more comfortable for all of them. Everyone was less tense and alcohol did make them more cheerful. They were more truthful when under the influence, which always helps budding friendships. One thing it didn’t help was Taeyong’s morale, as he was fairly certain that he would accidentally say something which he would lament about tomorrow. Of course, he wouldn’t be sure until time decided to provide him with an answer, so he decided to continue drinking. He wouldn’t have to deal with it or his inevitable hangover for a fair number of hours so he decided to stop caring. It was probably best for him to do that anyway.


	2. The Second Addition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the previous drunken events of their weekend. Yerim tries to get Sooyoung to join the crew. Yuta's first practice with the NCT boys occurs, and there's a foundation being set for everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, everyone! this story is refreshing to write because there are so many elements to work with, along with a bunch of people who i don't normally write about, which makes it so drastically different from everything else i've written so far! i had fun writing this, so i hope you enjoy reading it too

“Holy shit, I’m tired,” Taeyong muttered as he opened his eyes, his hand gripping his forehead in pain. He squinted and groaned. He had a major hangover. He didn’t remember all of last night, either. He was frustrated by this, as he knew that a lot must have happened with the potential opportunity of Yuta permanently joining their crew. 

He sat up in his bed and glanced over at the other people in his room – there were multiple tiny beds, though they weren’t proper beds, just mattresses on the floor, which the boys slept on. Thankfully Taeyong had one to himself, as he was a founding member of the crew and had purchased the apartment with Yeri initially. 

Jooheon was soundly asleep with Minhyuk, the pair busy cuddling while the dreamed. Kihyun and Hoseok were missing, Taeyong assumed that they had gone to the gym. Hansol was sleeping peacefully in his bed. Sehun was awake and stared back at the pink haired boy, but Johnny was asleep on his shoulder so he couldn’t move without waking him up. 

He mouthed, “Sorry, man,” to Sehun as he got up and stretched before leaving the room and walking towards the kitchen. He thankfully didn’t feel very nauseous, but his head was pounding so he needed water and some Advil. Yeri seemed to be in better conditions, as his best friend was smiling at him when she saw him begin to walk over to her. He was trying to stand across from her. Eventually, he settled for leaning over the island and placing his arms on the cold countertop to stay balanced as he felt the room spin. 

“Hey, big shot. How’d you sleep? You drank a lot, you dummy.” She questioned, her words were playful but he knew that she genuinely was concerned. 

Glaring at her, he responded, “I wonder why I drank so much.” 

“You didn’t need to get drunk to talk to Yuta.” Yeri’s voice was stern and she had a point, but she also knew that her partner in crime disagreed with her on this one so he wouldn’t acknowledge that.  
“Whatever. I slept like a rock. Can you pass me the Advil from the cabinet?” He knew he could get away with changing the subject this time since he clearly didn’t feel well.

The blonde haired girl smiled and replied, “Of course.” 

She got it for him, along with a cup of water, carefully placing it on the counter in front of him. Then, she walked over to the living room and grabbed a foldable chair for him to sit on. Yeri joked around a lot, but she really did care about everyone.

The pink haired boy muttered a quick, “Thanks,” before taking one of the pills and gulping down the entire cup of water. She quickly refilled it for him and sat on the single stool that was next to the part of the island where the sink was. 

“How much of last night do you remember?” Yeri questioned, and this was one of the times where Taeyong thought that she knew him too well. 

Using a hand to support his head, he replied honestly, “Not much. I know he wanted to join us and the offer I gave him. I also remember the pizza and video games, but nothing after I started drinking.” 

“Yuta and I tried to stop you before you drank too much, but you’re too stubborn for your own good sometimes. Nothing bad happened and you didn’t say anything you’ll regret if that’s what you’re wondering. Yuta got home safely too – he texted one of the boys when he arrived at his place. Oh, he also said you’re cute.” While summarizing the night’s events for him, Yeri spoke softly so it wouldn’t make his headache worse.

Nodding, he spoke, “Alright. That could’ve been terrible, but that’s palatable. Thank you, shorty.” 

They sat and chatted for a while as the rest of the crew who were in the apartment began to wake up and emerge from their room. They all were in the same room since Yeri had her room to herself and all the boys shared. They figured that would be easiest, and they knew that more girls would join them eventually anyway. No one had any complaints about their lifestyle, really, because they were their own small family who all shared the same artistic passions. It was a wonderful way of life, except for their boring classes.

 

_꿈 속을 헤매기에 완벽한 Morning  
꿀 같은 단잠에 스르르륵 빠지네 _

 

The boys didn’t practice much over the weekend since they were hungover and tired, but Yeri had been practicing daily. She always practiced. Dancing was her exercise, but it was also her passion and her therapy. Occasionally some of them had come to watch her, usually Hansol, since he enjoyed her choreography. It was a refreshing change from the sort of moves he generally came up with. 

However, she hadn’t practiced yet that day because it was Monday, which meant she had class. Also because it was Monday, she was too tired to wake up earlier to practice in the morning. She generally tried to on other days if she could. Her classes had gone by slowly and without much trouble. She had decided to go to the cafeteria for some hot chocolate after her last class of the day concluded. 

As she got her hot chocolate, she found herself with a lot on her mind. Yeri knew that, as retribution for her trying to set Yuta up with Taeyong by supporting the idea of him joining them, she would probably have to suffer in some way. This is how the two of them operated. They always had good intentions, plus they did always turn out to be positive. However, this time Yeri wanted to be the one who accomplished something first. 

Because Taeyong was her best friend, it was obvious that he would try to use his knowledge of her crush against her. He was well aware of the fact that her weakness was a certain Park Sooyoung. She was a beautiful girl; she currently has red hair, glowing brown eyes that secretly warmed Kim Yerim’s cold heart, and a pretty smile which blessed everyone if they were lucky enough to see it. 

She had seen the girl dance before, using the stage name Joy whenever she performed anything. She also knew that Sooyoung knew about this, as well about Yeri and Taeyong’s dance crew. They had never really spoken about this though, and they didn’t really speak too much, now that she thinks about it. That didn’t mean anything though – Yeri was a social person and Sooyoung was as well, meaning they’d get around to speaking eventually. 

This is why she wanted to speak to her first. She wanted to be what caused them to really become friends and get to know each other. It was truthfully a matter of pride, but also simply because she wanted to talk to the girl. She didn’t think there was much of a problem with that. The blonde haired girl considered this to be the first step towards friendship. 

It turned out that Sooyoung was in their school’s cafeteria after classes had ended for her, and she was sitting at a table alone while drinking some coffee and looking at her phone. Yeri saw the other girl, of course, since it was hard not to notice someone who is that beautiful, who just so also happened to have bright hair that was easily identifiable. The shorter girl knew that she should take advantage of this situation, as it was practically being handed to her on a silver platter. There was no reason not to. Confidently, she strolled across the room and over to her table with a cup of hot chocolate in her right hand.

“Hey, Sooyoung. Do you mind if I sit with you?” She began her mission by asking her this politely. 

Perking her head up and looking curiously at Yeri who was standing near the seat across her, she replied, “I suppose I don’t have a problem with that. Would you mind telling me your reasoning, though?”

Shaking her head with a grin, she answered, “Is it a crime to want to sit with a beautiful girl? Someone should’ve told me the laws changed. Such a shame.” 

“Kim Yerim, you and I both know that you don’t do anything without a motive. Everyone who has ever encountered your crew knows that’s true. Just get to the point, would you?” Sooyoung retorted, slight annoyance was easily traced in her voice, but she wasn’t genuinely irritated – in fact, she found this somewhat amusing. 

“I want to dance with you.” 

Yeri’s voice was serious, so it was obvious that she meant what she said. Whether this was a business offer or just a one-time thing, Sooyoung wasn’t certain. She hadn’t seen Yeri dance a lot before, but it was obvious that the girl was good at what she does because her crew, as underground as it may be, was on another level. If Yeri wanted to dance with her, it had to mean something. She’d seen Sooyoung dance before, and probably had gotten a decent read of her talent, style and abilities. 

“Okay. Let’s dance, then.” Sooyoung agreed, standing up and gesturing for Yeri to do the same. 

Nodding, the blonde haired girl asked, “Is my studio okay with you?”

“If that hole in the ground is really a studio, then it’s fine with me. I have been wondering what is looks like.” She admitted. 

This made Yeri grin as she led the way for Sooyoung to follow her out of the cafeteria and off of campus. It wouldn’t take them too long to reach the studio, which she was thankful for because she was honestly excited to dance with the other girl. She hadn’t entirely planned this through, as she wasn’t sure what they would dance, but she was pretty sure that they would work something out. They had to. She was convinced that Sooyoung was a perfect candidate for her unit within the crew. She also knew that Sooyoung had a friend, a girl named Kang Seulgi, who also danced. She was rumored to be quite talented as well. 

The pair promptly reached the studio and the shorter girl led her inside. Yeri was thankful that the guys had decided to clean up a bit now that Yuta was joining them there for practices because it was embarrassing to her whenever new people joined them and it wasn’t entirely clean. It was extremely spacious and they had bought more mirrors for it, so she believed it was easy to overlook the graffiti and exposed pipes that would otherwise scare others away. 

“This place is really something.” The new girl mumbled, but it wasn’t spoken in an unpleasant way, in fact, it seemed that she was in awe of the place. 

Yeri laughed and responded with a smile, “Yes, welcome to my humble home. I hope you don’t mind the place, I promise it’s not that bad and the surround sound is actually great.” 

“Let’s put it to good use then. I know your crew has been working on units, or at least that’s what the word on the street says. Show me what you’ve come up with.” Sooyoung stated though it was more of a polite order to show her that this wasn’t a waste of her time.

Yeri nodded, walking over to mess with the controls for the speakers. She plugged her phone into the controls and scrolled through her music to find what she was looking for – the song she had been working on, or at least the demo of it. Russian roulette. It only had her vocals so far, but she had hoped that once others joined her unit she would be able to have them sing some parts of it as well. She pressed play and walked over to the area where Sooyoung was and began to dance. 

 

_커지는 Heart b-b-beat_  
빨라지는데  
La-la-la-la-la...  
커지는 Heart b-b-beat  
빨라지는데  
La-la-la-la-la...  
Heart b-b-b-beat

 

With that, the song concluded. The ending of the choreography was just Yeri simply standing, with her legs a bit separated and her right arm outstretched. She took a breath and looked at Sooyoung in the silence of the studio, unable to read her expression. 

To the blonde girl’s surprise, Sooyoung hummed and announced, “I like it. Give me some time to learn it and we can dance together.” 

“Really? That’s nice to hear. You’re willing to join my unit then, or the whole crew even?” the shorter girl questioned, clearly excited. 

Nodding, the red haired girl replied, “I don’t see why not. I get tired of dancing solo – it’s not quite as fun. There are no people there supporting you, either. If the others aren’t opposed to it, I’ll join.”  
“Trust me, they won’t have a problem. They’ve been waiting for me to recruit someone for ages since I’ve always been the only girl. You’re welcome to move into the apartment upstairs with us too if you’d like.” She offered, the others had seen Sooyoung dance before too and had always liked her style so it would be fine with everyone. 

“I don’t know about that yet. Maybe with some time, I’ll move in, it all depends on how this goes, I suppose.” Sooyoung responded with a smile. 

 

_Shimmie shimmie Ko Ko Bop I think I like it_  
긴장은 Down down 부끄러 말고  
어지러운 맘속에 내가 들어가  
익숙한 듯 부드럽게 네게 번져 가

 

Everyone practiced on Mondays; it was just their routine, but since the boys had shared classes later in the evenings they always arrived in the studio later than Yeri. However, to say they were surprised to see Park Sooyoung with her was an understatement. Even Yuta, who had come along with them for his first practice, was surprised at this new sight. 

Noticing their arrival, the newcomer greeted them with a casual, “Hello, everyone. I’m going to join your crew now. I want to work with Yeri and her sub unit.” 

Kihyun was the first to respond, he spoke enthusiastically, “Alright! Finally, someone else has joined her! We were beginning to think no one would join her, but someone actually did.” 

“Welcome to the group,” Jooheon spoke with a grin. 

The others said their congratulations and welcomes and all began to get used to each other before the studio began to divide into groups again. They decided to let Taeyong use the surround sound since he and Johnny were teaching Yuta the choreography for Cherry Bomb, which was essential to him becoming a real member of their crew. 

Before they began, the pink haired NCT member walked over to the blonde girl and said, “Can I have a word with you for a moment?” 

He dragged her over to the corner and Sooyoung was left to awkwardly stand alone in her current area of the studio. The pair felt bad about leaving her there, but it was obvious that Taeyong needed to say something so Yeri didn’t question him. She’d feel stupid for saying she didn’t want to talk to her best friend, anyway. 

“How’d you manage to drag Sooyoung into this?” was his first question, probably because she hadn’t given them any warning. 

Grinning, she simply said, “I decided to play a little game of Russian roulette when I saw her in the cafeteria and this was where we ended up. I do have my methods, you know.” 

He sighed, “I’m not even going to ask. Good job on getting her here yourself, though. I was beginning to think I would have to do it myself as a form of revenge.” 

“I know, which is why I decided to take a chance with fate and invite her here. You have no mercy when it comes to revenge on me, but I know that’s an indirect compliment since you aren’t like that with anyone else.” The girl said, as playful as always, then asked, “Are we going to address you and Yuta or not?” 

Looking down at his feet for a moment, Taeyong took a deep breath then answered, “I was hoping we wouldn’t discuss this, but I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

“Nope!” Yeri grinned. 

Rolling his eyes, the pink haired boy stated, “That’s what I thought. Anyway, we haven’t spoken much. We’ll have to, obviously, but we haven’t yet. My offer wasn’t a lie since I’m a man of my word, but I don’t know if I really want him to join or not. I suppose you could call this my own game of Russian roulette.” 

Laughing, his best friend answered, “Congrats on using your own Red Velvet reference, I hope you have fun joining my unit.” 

He lightly punched her arm and she let out a sarcastic, “Ow!” before she continued to ask, “You do like him, don’t you? He can dance too. Don’t purposely push him away.” 

The only response Yeri received was a nod from Taeyong before he walked away to go teach the Japanese boy. That was all she needed to conclude that her best friend does, in fact, like Yuta. This would certainly be interesting for everyone in the crew. She truthfully didn’t know how it would play out. 

“Sorry about that,” she said to Sooyoung as they picked up where they left off. 

She was happy that the girl was quickly learning the choreography that she had created, and was good at dancing it too. Even without the music playing now, she was still doing a very good job. Yeri knew that Sooyoung joining the crew was a good decision for them. The first part of her unit was finally coming together, they just needed a few more people and it would be complete. Nevertheless, Yeri believed that the future was looking brighter for the entire crew with every passing day. 

_Killing the knight, feeling the vibe,_  
Give me the knife, cold on my mind  
You know what I mean, I like being alone  
다만 너랑 놀 때만큼은 제외 하고 

Taeyong had to admit that Yuta wasn’t doing a bad job while learning his choreography to Cherry Bomb. Johnny seemed to have the same opinion too since he kept nodding at him. Even when Yuta made a mistake, the Japanese boy didn’t give up – he just started over until he could get through whichever area of the dance that he was struggling with. That was the determination that Taeyong liked to see because he knew it was the same determination which all the other members shared. It was a special determination that develops through passion and joy for what you do, and he considered it to be an unofficial requirement for joining their crew. 

They practiced for hours and they seemed to dance well as a unit, even if the newcomer hadn’t completely memorized all of the little aspects of Cherry Bomb’s choreography. By looking around the room, Johnny was able to tell that the others were clearly impressed with NCT’s progress because they were casually stealing occasional glances at them, despite being in the middle of working on their own projects. He was proud of all of them, but that wasn’t his only emotion – he loved them all. This really was everyone’s family, and he hoped that it would become Sooyoung’s family too, potentially Yuta’s family as well. 

It was only Yuta’s first practice, however, the kid’s potential was clear from the start. Everyone could see that. This made Johnny wonder if he would have to talk with Taeyong later about the Japanese boy officially joining them or not, though they wouldn’t make an official decision for at least a week. That was the offer the pink haired boy had given him – that he could survive their practices – so they would stick to his word. Still, it would be nice for their little Neo Culture Technology project to grow.

After another hour or so, everyone seemed to decide that it was time for them to take a break. That being said, they would probably all end up ordering some type of food for the group as that was their usual routine. Everyone was sitting around the perimeter of the studio at this point, most of them drinking water, so Johnny, Taeyong and Yuta walked over to join them. 

“Hey, just to let you know, nice work today. Not bad for your first practice.” Taeyong admitted. 

The brown haired boy looked surprised, but he said, “Thank you! I won’t disappoint you guys.” His voice was loud and you could practically hear his giant smile beaming through it. 

Yuta was enjoying his time working with everyone in the crew. While they were all talking about what they could get to eat, as well as who would pay tonight, he found himself reflecting on the events of the practice and how well he was able to adapt to the new type of choreography which they were trying with Cherry Bomb. He also had been able to interact more with everyone properly for the first time since they had all gotten pizza after he decided to try to meet the challenge with Taeyong in order to join the crew.

He thought Johnny was very nice – he was more assertive with everyone. Taeyong was a bit distant and seemed to get lost in his thoughts frequently, but the Japanese boy didn’t think that this was a problem. Yuta knew that Taeyong was very dedicated to what he does, and it seems like tough love is more of his style anyway, plus the newcomer didn’t need to rely on others’ praises or validation for his self-esteem. He knows he is good at what he does because he put in a lot of time and practice, which always pays off. 

He has been able to read some of the others too, well he has been able to get a feel for what they’re like, at least. Yuta had seen Yeri interact with the others, which has lead him to see that, despite her playful nature and how she teases them, she really does respect each and every one of them and shows it in her own way. Despite never talking much to the even newer person here, Sooyoung, she seems to be full of energy and very bright when he true personality shapes itself as she dances. It seemed to shine through – it was powerful and captivating, so it was no wonder that Yeri was so quick to recruit her.

Hansol hasn’t really stopped talking from what Yuta has observed, additionally, all of the members seem more relaxed when he is around. He seems to be a loud person, but not in a bad way. He laughs a lot, too. Hansol’s laugh was a unique one from what Yuta has heard, but it was definitely contagious and a bright part of everyone’s day. The black haired boy also knew how to cheer people up if they kept messing up (he had seen that Sehun was having problems earlier), which is priceless to keeping everyone’s morale up.

Then there was Sehun. He was close with Johnny, Yuta could clearly see that, since he somewhat clung to him throughout the practice, despite not being an official member of the NCT unit – it was known that Sehun had dreams of starting one called EXO. He seemed to be the type who volunteers to help whenever anyone needs it. While everyone was practicing, he had observed that Sehun was trying multiple styles, but he continued to let his own sort of personality shine through it. 

Lastly, there were the boys who called their unit Monsta X, who had spent their time working on the choreography for a song which they called All In. Minhyuk was outgoing, certainly, and he seemed to speak with an eloquent flow which Yuta had not necessarily expected from him. He spent a lot of time with his boyfriend, Jooheon, so they were often cuddling, which the Japanese boy thought was very cute. They made a good, healthy looking couple.

Jooheon was like a prince, and he certainly was one in Minhyuk’s eyes, but it was apparent to everyone else as well. This wasn’t just because of the crown which he had jokingly worn atop his gold hair today, but additionally because of how he is able to lighten up the atmosphere. This was in a different style than Hansol, though, but it was equally as effective. Yuta had heard Minhyuk call Jooheon’s eyes charming; this was definitely true, and it helped add to his image of royalty. 

Hoseok seemed to be a bit tired today, making him a bit quiet, but that didn’t matter much since Yuta had gotten to know him a bit through their pizza and video games. Hoseok was definitely an emotional person, but the Japanese boy never thought that was a bad thing, in fact, he admired when people were able to express their emotions. Furthermore, he seemed to be highly intelligent when he spoke. He was caring towards others, especially Kihyun, which makes sense considering that he is his boyfriend. 

Kihyun, the other pink haired in the crew, seemed to be the type of person who could easily get along with anyone. He was social, and he seemed to develop a natural sense of skinship with his close friends as a result of this. They didn’t seem to mind, but then again who doesn’t like a free hug or a pat on the back when you need it? He was able to cooperate with everyone while they tried to complete the All In choreography, and he also was encouraging to the others. Yuta believed that Kihyun and Hoseok formed a sort of balance which was undeniable, therefore he wouldn’t be surprised if they started a family sometime in the future. 

He must’ve been deeper in his thoughts than he realized because Yeri tapped his shoulder and said, “Hey, new kid. Whatcha thinking about? You know you can’t live in your head, right?” 

Yuta laughed. “I know, don’t worry. I was just thinking about the Cherry Bomb choreography and what it’s like here. You know, the atmosphere and vibe everyone gives off. I like it.” 

This made the blonde girl hum and she nodded, but added, “You’ll have to fight to stay here. Taeyong won’t accept you unless you seriously work your ass off. I just want to make sure you realize this, and I’m saying this as a friend, Yuta.”

“Oh, I know. You can’t do any harm by reminding me, though. I really do appreciate it.” 

Smiling, the girl said, “I’m glad. You should stay for dinner. It’s nice having everyone around, even if you’re still an unofficial member.” She winked, then scooted over towards Sooyoung again so that they could continue talking about plans for Red Velvet. 

Dinner turned out to be everyone squeezing into the living room of the crew’s apartment while Kihyun decided to cook for everyone. It was his treat to welcome Sooyoung to the team and to make sure everyone ate something healthy to kick start their long week of classes. It was nice and it really did feel like a family – no single person was out of place and they all blended together to make up something beautiful.

Kihyun had decided to cook a vegetable stir fry, dumplings, and some rice tonight. It looked beautiful with the variety of colors of vegetables and the way which he had plated the dishes, which made the newcomers wonder if he had previously aspired to be a chef or something before discovering his passion for music and dance. Everyone had gotten a plate and some utensils and were waiting in line to grab their portion of the food from the large servings on the countertop. 

Yuta felt almost like this was beginning to become his home too. He missed this warm, comforting feeling that was often associated with whatever you considered your home. The brown haired boy had never been able to really regain that since he moved here from Japan, and it was something that he had deeply missed. It had been hard for him to leave his original home, his country, but he felt as though it was something which he had to do in order to follow his dreams. It seemed to be worth it because Yuta had ended up here with the crew – something he was very thankful for. He would work hard so that he could stay.

The second girl of the crew, Sooyoung, was conversing with everyone nicely. She did have some doubts when she first agreed to join earlier today, however, these were quickly fading away to a nice sense of relief. She was growing accustomed to being around everyone and learning about one another. Overall, she seemed to be happiest when talking to Yeri – both girls would quickly deny this, of course, but everyone else saw it. It was amazing how everyone had been able to find their way to each other. 

Even Taeyong, who had been a bit moody and frustrated earlier, mostly due to what apparently was a difficult day of lectures for him, was in brighter spirits by now. Hoseok also was opening up more and kept a smile which reached eyes locked on his face throughout dinner. It could be easily believed that everyone there hoped that it would stay this happy for everyone for the rest of the time which they spent together. There weren’t any signs to indicate that this wouldn’t be the case, thankfully. 

Conversations had sprouted in every direction as everyone eventually broke off into smaller groups to chat with each other. This didn’t bother anyone. Even though it was clear that some people were closer to others, that didn’t mean much of anything because they were all friendly and enjoyed spending time together. 

“So, Yuta, are you enjoying yourself?” Jooheon asked as he reached over to steal a dumpling from his boyfriend’s plate. 

After taking a sip of water, the Japanese boy eagerly answered him, “I am, I think this place is very bright. The apartment and the atmosphere provided by everyone is very cozy. It makes me think of home.”

Minhyuk nodded, “It’s like that for every member of the crew, even if they don’t say it. We don’t all come from great backgrounds or families, but we have our own, chosen family here where we create new bonds. I think that is stronger than any blood relation someone might have with another person.”

“We all joined the group at different times,” Sehun added, “but we all realize that time isn’t necessarily going to mean the most. You can quickly grow close to someone you have recently met, which is both touching and beautiful, so there’s never any reason to feel bad about being the new person around here. There’s no real hierarchy except for the apartment being in Taeyong’s name, plus him and Yeri being the ‘leaders’ since they founded the joint. Otherwise, who cares, we’re just here to support each other and have a good time as we do so.” 

Those words stayed on Yuta’s mind as people continued to spark their own conversations elsewhere. Luckily, the guys respected that he needed a bit of space to think about him and let him eat in peace if he wanted to. They would let him join in on their talking at any time if he pleased to do so. 

After everyone had finished eating and a bit of joking around, Sooyoung and Yuta both left within an hour or so since they weren’t living in the apartment. Everyone was quieting down, beginning to do homework or whatever else they needed to do, but they were all content. There were a lot of positive changes in store for them, which only excited them. This was also another source to motivate them to become even better at what they do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i would greatly appreciate feedback on how this flows - i fear it is a little choppy because there are so many people and the different events occurring at once, so i would like to be able to use any criticism i might receive to improve! 
> 
> also; i don't know how quick the next update will be because i have surgery next week & i don't know how i will feel afterward. i will be updating my twitter (@taiyoukei_ao3) and you can also message me there if you have any requests/questions/comments <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to those who didn't lose interest in this halfway through it! Please leave feedback - it's my first time writing about most of these people, so I would enjoy some criticism in order to improve.


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